Substitutes among $436,000 in cuts made by CC schools

With a mandate from county supervisors to cut $436,732 from their current budget, Charles City School Board members approved a list of recommended cuts during Tuesday night’s work session.

Among items included in trimming the deficit are removing the prepay plan for Appomattox Regional and Maggie Walker Governor’s schools ($97,000), substitute teachers ($32,172), instruction materials ($27,591), and instructional equipment ($18,265).

After-school activities and spring sports survived the mainstream cuts, thanks to coaches and the high school band director forgoing stipends for the season ($10,710). Other key factors for sports remaining were community contributions to help repair the high school track. Thanks to janitorial renegotiations (a savings of $10,000), in-school suspension and a portion of after-school remediation will remain intact.

However, the journey was not an easy one. Board members listened to concerns of more than 300 people during a four-hour meeting on March 7.

“These cuts are unreasonable,” said school board chairwoman Helen Payne-Jones. “We have asked our staff to do the unjustifiable with it.

“We’re faced with all these distractions and this is something we’ve got to deal with this year,” she concluded.

“We’ve got to do this,” chimed in District 2 representative Barbara Crawley. “It’s not a game, this is for real.”

Board members discussed possible options before opening the public forum for comments. Forty-four people took advantage of the moment, with most commenting about the cuts and teaching positions affecting the future of students.

“They are dependent on us,” said 13-year teacher and Charles City resident Juanita Pate. “These teachers want to be there for the students next year and the year after that.”

Pate, as well as other teachers, took offense to comments made by board of supervisors chairman Bill Coada the previous night (March 6) at a town hall meeting on school accreditation.

“We as teachers work our butts off to get our schools fully accredited,” she continued. “We strive to give them the best opportunities available.”

“I’ve never taught anywhere else,” said Amber Jackson. “I know there are small things that can be done to help the situation.”

Jackson’s recommendations include a pay-for-play athletics fee, as well as increasing the student parking fee. However, she also issued a challenge to workers on the county side.

“I know our teachers are willing to take a furlough day to recoup the savings, and I challenge those working for the county to do so as well,” Jackson said to thunderous applause.

Admittedly torn between his duties as a middle school teacher and high school athletics director, Aaron Dodge spoke about his internal conflict and his passion for maintaining the athletics programs.

“I do not envy your position at all, but I am disheartened on how our students and educators are viewed,” he said. “The athletics budget makes up less than four percent of the proposed cuts and you have to ask yourself do the benefits of $10,000 outweigh the costs? I don’t think so.”

The athletics director read accolades and accomplishments of student-athletes. Besides numerous state championship appearances and district championships, he pointed out 72 of 88 names listed on this semester’s high school second quarter honor roll were student-athletes and that 43 percent of the total school population participated in athletics.

“We’ve had 17 students graduate here and receive scholarships to play sports at the collegiate level,” Dodge continued. “The last six valedictorians have all been student-athletes and 90 percent of the top 10 students at each class level are student-athletes.”

“Sports don’t build character, they reveal it,” said senior Jessica Hill, who also serves as the student liaison to the school board. “We are a union and we are a family and push each other to be stronger.”

Sharon Jones, who has two sons on current athletic and academic scholarships in college and two more sons in Charles City schools, commented about well-rounded students.

“When a child fills out their college education, one area on the form is extracurricular activities, and sports are a particular one,” she said. “Teachers here in the county step up every day and make a difference in my children’s lives.

“Sports build leadership, establishes discipline, and demonstrates teamwork,” continued the adamant mother. “We want well-rounded athletes, so save my child and let them get the education and the experiences they need.”

Other student organizations united to voice concerns over the possible financial cuts.

“I’m very, very scared,” said Brandon Collie, a JROTC student who is also battalion commander of the organization. “This program is a major character developer and has given me a lot of incentive.

“This is what we do and this is all I have,” he concluded.

“When I wake up, I’m not saying I’m going to work, but I’m going to school,” said middle/high school band director Bruce Person, speaking on behalf of band members. “I want my students to have some of the experiences I had.

“Music is an outlet for me, and I know it is an outlet for them,” he continued. “It is so hard to hear the words ‘education’ and ‘cut’ in the same sentence.”

Parents and other concerned citizens offered suggestions and comments for school board members to ask county supervisors.

“I propose the furlough day for everybody,” said Yvonne Smith-Jones. “I also want an alternative plan to recoup funds to be established by the school board.”

“It’s a sad day when our children are in the middle of a mess that they did not create,” commented regular attendee LaTonya Williams. “It’s sad when negative comments outweigh the positive comments and when universal tests are used to identify the success of an individual child.

“I believe with all these cuts, a variety of scholarships will be affected,” Williams concluded.

Impact of the situation also affects Charles City alumnus Justin Hayes, who teaches and coaches in Williamsburg-James City schools.

“I had the opportunity to take my son to Williamsburg-James City public schools,” Hayes said. “But I made it in this system, and so can he. I don’t want my son to be a face in the crowd at a bigger school.

“I wanted to become a physical education teacher because of John Christian,” continued Hayes, pointing to Charles City High School’s long-time instructor. “It’s because of him I am in the field that I am and it was because of him pushing me in track and field that I received a scholarship at Hampton University.”

County Sheriff Javier Smith, who has two children enrolled in county schools, addressed the school board about a situation he faced last year.

“I had the choice to reduce staff and operations last year, but to keep them, I took a salary reduction,” said the county sheriff. “I believe we will see some things cut, but it should be from top to bottom.”

After public comments closed, school board officials reflected on input received.

“Our number one job is to make sure kids get the proper education we deserve,” said Barbara Crawley. “Our teachers go well beyond what is expected.”

“I am so glad to see this turnout,” added at-large member Steve Fuhrmann. “The more input we have, the wiser our decisions will be.”

District 3 representative Martha Harris concluded with a comment about the financial situation the schools faced in comparison with cuts made by county departments.

“As I understand, each of their departments were asked to cut one percent,” Harris said. “If the schools received that, we would be only cutting $104,000.”